TRYING to book Eurocamp but site busy as everyone is....! So, La Garangeoire....?

[gerbo]

Yes, I know it's popular on Mumsnet but I'm doing another call for opinions on this site.

Please be brutally honest - is it Butlin's abroad????

First timers who can ill afford to spend their precious £800 badly....

We have one toddler and need a holiday to look forward to - any opinions very gratefully received.

We also looked at Trinite Sur Mer as those 2 sites looked lovely but seem to be full - argh!

We went to La G last year with our DC, 11 and 12 then. We went as soon as the scottish schools broke up - ie last Friday in June. The site was quite quiet for that first fortnight in July and not at all Butlins-y. There were lots of older couples, and families with pre-school children, as well as other families from Scotland and Ireland.

But it got suddenly incredibly busy that second weekend in July, and the whole vibe changed. There were many more cars, and loads of older kids on bikes, and younger kids running round the bar at night. There were also more organised activities. This isn't necessarily a negative. It definitely had the potential to be a bit Butlins, just from the sheer number of people there.

I guess it depends when you want to go.

can rec some quieter sites if you want - Brittany, vendee and Italy.

We went last year and the year before with younger children (under 7). However we went for 2 weeks at May half term (our borough has 2 weeks off then so it's a good itme to go). I would agree with Mrs Muddle's description, it was lovely and quiet there although it did mean that some of the stuff outside the parc wasn't available - big waterpark etc. Have never been in July/August.
We are just trying to browse the Keycamp site as well but it is tres tres slow !

Leslaki - where have you been in Italy? We would love to go to a Keycamp there (my degree is in Italian and I'd especially like to go back) but all the camps seem to be so big! Would love any ideas...

The campsie before we went looked like it could be too big etc etc bit it wasn't. There was entertainment etc on but we didn't get involved!!! they also had 'Quiet Time@ between 1 and 3pm which was lovely - beach, pool etc were fab - - here took a lot of effort to even go and see venice, campsite was SO easy!

We had a week at Union Lido near Venice. We never set foot OFF the place in a week, despite plans to visit Venice. It was great. 2 pool complexes, excellent beach, lots of shops and restaurants. Eurocamp have the best mobile homes too. We're doing Eurocamp this summer too, St Avit Loisirs in the Dordogne. My darling baby gets fed up with M&D now and demands mini club.

We've just booked to go to le rouret - which is a holiday village (with proper houses not tents!) - only slightly more expensive. But we went last year and it was amazing.

There were only a few other British families their so felt very adventurish in an easy relaxing way!

I started to book online but rang and spoke to a couple of really helpful ladies - much easier and I suspect quicker!

Not a bit Butlins! There are organised activities, but they are not at all in your face. And they are all elsewhere - not around the pool, etc. We went last week in June/ first week in July.

I'd agree with Mrs Muddle: deffo not a quiet site, but rules are enforced at night to ensure everyone can sleep and get on with enjoying their holiday.

An illustration of this was when a caravanning couple ('nuff said) near our tent were horrified because some friends of theirs on site were asked to leave immediately because their DS (17) had drunk too much and jumped in the pool at night when it was closed, disturbing the ambiance around the bar, and the peace. They had to go the next morning, even though that family had stayed there year on year for over a decade. No second chances. Fantastic! So although it's busy, we found it to be excellent for a young family.

For those who might be interested, Canvas do a lot of the same sites as Eurocamp, and are slightly cheaper from the second week of August onwards (something to do with Scottish school holidays apparently).

Haven't been to the site mentioned in the OP, but have done Eurocamp before and it was great, especially for small children. Not Butlins-like at all.